Vertical retort for the continuous distillation of carbonaceous materials



June 1, 1937. F. .1. WEST El AL 2,032,270

VERTICAL RETORT FOR THE CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS Filed July 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 1, 1937. J T ET AL I 2,082,270

VERTICAL RETORT FOR THE CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS Filed July 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 W 7i %s% Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VERTICAL RETORT FOR THE CONTINUOUS DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MA- TERIALS company Application July 9, 1935, Serial No. 30,554 In Great Britain August 9, 1934 1 Claim.

This invention relates to vertical retorts for the continuous distillation of carbonaceous materials such as coal, shale and the like. With such retorts it is usual to provide a vertical helical extractor within a hollow member at the base of the retort which extractor is turned slowly either intermittently or continuously for the purpose of discharging coke from the base of the retort into the coke chamber. In order toensure that the coke is not unduly broken up or hold up of coke caused in passing to the extractor, which is usually arranged Within a hollow member at the base of a retort constituting a continuation of said retort, there must not be any abrupt alterations in the shape and cross sectional areas of the parts through which the coke passes and therefore there must be a more or less definite relationship between the diameter of the extractor and the dimensions of the hollow member at the base of the retort. For instance, the diameter of the extractor must approximate to the length of the major axis or horizontal length of the hollow member and must therefore determine the degree of proximity of adjacent lines of retorts which are always arranged side by side in the direction of the minor axis or transverse width of the retorts. If therefore the retort major axis and the extractor diameter be increased unduly, considerable waste of space will occur in the spacing of the lines of retorts in a setting and this brings with it many other disadvantages.

It will be appreciated that retorts for coal carbonization, with which this invention is concerned, are in sectional plan view relatively long and narrow, the long dimension being known as the major axis, and the short dimension as the minor axis.

In accordance with our present invention the minor axis or transverse width of the hollow member forming a continuation of the retortis made such that maximum efficiency of carbonization is ensured but the major axis or horizontal length is increased and two vertical helical extractors driven in unison and working in parallel (with preferably a division between them), are disposed within said hollow member at the base of the retort side by side in the direction of its major axis, the two extractors discharging into a common coke chamber.

Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through the major axis or horizontal length of a retort and its coke extractor gear which is constructed and arranged in one convenient form in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the retort and taken through the minor axis or transverse width of the retort and its extractor gear.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In Figure 2, only the bottom part or hollow extension of the retort is shown.

It will be seen that there are two worm type extractors b and b arranged side by side in the direction of the major axis or horizontal length of a hollow member forming an extension of the retort a, which, as shown in Fig. 3, is substantially elliptic or oval-shape in cross section. A division wall is arranged between the extractors so that each extractor works with maximum efliciency and coke from one extractor cannot be displaced laterally into the path of the other extractor. The coke from the two extractors is delivered into a common coke chamber at having a discharge door e thereon. The two extractors are operated in unison from a common worm shaft 1.

With our improvement, we are enabled to retain the standard dimension for the minor axis or transverse width of the retort extension which has been determined for the best carbonizing results and which as present is about ten inches at the top of the extension member, whilst the major axis or horizontal length of said extension member can be increased to an amount related to the sum of the diameter of the two extractors b and the maximum practicable spacing of the axes of the extractors. For example whereas the present maximum dimension of the major axis with the usual extractor is about 50 inches at the top of the hollow member forming an extension of the retort, we are enabled with our improvement to increase the dimension to as much as 150 inches with considerable advantages in efficiency, economy and throughput.

What we claim is:--

A carbonizing vertical retort comprising a shell adapted for unimpeded descent of a charge of solid material through the upper part thereof, a substantially oval-shaped hollow member constituting the bottom of the retort and having a major axis and a minor axis, a pair of vertical helical extractors in said hollow member, arranged side by side in the direction of the major axis of said member, each of said extractors having a diameter approximately equal to the minor axis of said hollow member, said extractors being driven in unison and working in parallel, a division wall extending across said hollow member between said extractors in the direction of said minor axis, and a common discharge chamber communicating with said extractors for receiving material discharged therefrom.

FREDERICK JOSEPH WEST. ERNEST WEST. 

